Overview

• The Japan Meteorological Agency reported June–August temperatures averaged 2.36°C above normal, the highest since records began in 1898 and the third consecutive record summer.
• South Korea’s seasonal mean reached 25.7°C, the highest since national data started in 1973, edging last year’s 25.6°C record, according to the Korean Meteorological Administration.
• Japan recorded about 84,521 heat-related hospitalizations from May 1 to August 24, slightly above the comparable period in 2024, official figures show.
• The coastal city of Gangneung declared a national disaster after weeks without rain and imposed strict household water-use restrictions.
• Global datasets indicate uneven regional warming, with Europe heating fastest per decade since 1990 followed by Asia, while the UN warns of mounting impacts on worker health and productivity.